


Because I could not stop for death.

by AnastasiaScapegrace



Series: Lead me not to pain, but to kindness. [2]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Future Fic, a novel by essek thelyss, bittersweet I guess?, the emotional frustration of watching your friends die naturally
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-17 13:48:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29593725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnastasiaScapegrace/pseuds/AnastasiaScapegrace
Summary: The last member of the Nein leaves him, Essek finds their kindness never leaves him.
Relationships: Caduceus Clay & Essek Thelyss
Series: Lead me not to pain, but to kindness. [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2172297
Comments: 3
Kudos: 45





	Because I could not stop for death.

The grove is quieter now.

Generations of Clays have passed through, grown up, and in the end are finally interred in its soil.

Fjord is the first to pass on and be buried, his funeral is the most joyful of all the reins.  
Essek thinks it is due to the fact Jester passes not lang after.  
Beauregard and Yasha leave together, buried hand in hand.  
Veth lives a long and full life , she watches Luc marry and have kids and Essek gets to retell her story to Luc’s grandchildren.  
Caleb leaves them them suddenly, in a stagnant pause held too long during one of their conversations.

Essek know the path to the grove perfectly now, where his legs tripped and faltered years ago he steps gracefully.  
A perk that comes with practised walking he guesses.

The forest surrounding the grove is green once again, a feat Essek can happily say he contributed to.  
It’s almost scary how easy kindness comes to him now.

The walls around the grove are no longer slanted and twisted with illness.   
Bursts of coloured mosses and flowers live between the cobbled stones.   
With a flick of his hand the gates swing open, they creak with disuse and rust. A testament to the decreasing stabbing rate of shady creek run.

Essek comes upon the small shrine of Melora silently sending a prayer of thanks for the one friend he has left. Just like he has done for the decades gone by ,he taps on the rotting wood of the door and waits patiently.

Like clockwork Caduceus emerges with a teapot in hand.

“Ah, I was afraid you wouldn’t make it”

Essek sighs and smiles.

“I would not miss this if the bright queen herself commanded me to”

“Now, now Mr Essek. The queens word or you mothers mean nothing to you. You made that much clear when you left to travel with us”

That must have been at least 300 years ago he thinks to himself, he realises how old caduceus really is. There is more grey creeping in to his hair these days and wrinkles from both stress and age have begun to collect around his eyes.

“I am expecting to pass on soon”

“Oh”

Caduceus laughs at Essek’s soft reply.

“Everything has been taken care of, a child of Calliopes will watch over the grove and hold the funeral. I only ask that you would be present.”

Essek can feel the same sinkhole of despair he felt when Caleb passes away open up again.  
He is to be alone in the world again, without seven pairs of hands to guide him.

They sit in front of the Nein’s graves and drink the tea silently. It has spicy yet soothing taste, salty yet floral and sweet, somehow it tastes pleasantly of ash and storms.   
And home.

Caduceus is right because it’s not longer than a month before he returns to the grove.  
Caducus is buried as planned in a plot next to the rest of the Nein’s.   
Pink lichen and moss grow around his grave adding to the chaotic garden the rest on the Nein have created.

Essek leaves the blooming grove saddened but now with closure, he is not quite ready see his friends again.

Not yet.

**Author's Note:**

> Someone commented and pointed out Cad and Esseks lifespans compared to the Nien.  
> Thank you, who ever you are.
> 
> Thanks for reading:) 
> 
> (I'm sorry if I made anyone cry)


End file.
